From: Walter Pullen To: SOC Personal Growth Club Subject: Arian Thought of the Day :-) Date: Monday, January 30, 1995 2:26PM The only man who makes no mistakes is the man who never does anything. - Theodore Roosevelt An important part of personal growth deals with challenge. Being able to meet obstacles and face and overcome things gives one a feelings of aliveness. In astrology, this characteristic is called Aries. Aries the Ram, the first sign of the zodiac, the sprouting seed bursting forth. We all have this within us in lesser or greater quantity. The challenge (there's that word again) of the Aries energy is to be able to express it, and express it properly. If we don't feed the fire within at all, life can start to seem dull or depressing. Or, if there's something major we really want to do, and are afraid to actually do it, the energy won't go away, but will be redirected somewhere else, likely in an inharmonious manner that will give a similar rush. That argumentative person always picking a fight, is likely just afraid to quit her job and move to the backcountry with the bears, like she's always really wanted to inside. True adventurous, pioneering, Arian expression is like a Klingon: never bored, never holding back anything, and seeking honor. Aries: Feel the fear and do it anyway! - Walter From: Walter Pullen To: SOC Personal Growth Club Subject: Taurean Thought of the Day :-) Date: Tuesday, January 31, 1995 3:16PM "Before my enlightenment, I chopped wood and carried water. After my enlightenment, I chopped wood and carried water." - Zen quote. You're at a New Age expo, among others seeking growth or trying to make the world a better place. Some are doing iridology readings, some are analyzing past lives from one's aura, some are getting in touch with their inner child's needs, while some are meditating to prevent karmic earthquakes. Outside the pavilion, a janitor is quietly picking up litter, and stops to give food to a homeless person. That janitor is a embodiment of what in astrology is the characteristic called Taurus. An inner calmness and serenity, and an ability to deal with the world as it really is, is a virtue often underestimated, and is the gift and goal of Taurus. Our environment is always changing, but one who's integrated what this sign of the zodiac has to teach is able to keep their self constant, moving through life relaxed. Positive expression of this energy makes one adept at dealing with physical life and its requirements, with stability and planning for future needs. Taurus is fully in and accepting of their body and its offerings, and isn't swayed by wishful or fanciful thinking. The old statement that "Tauruses don't believe in astrology" is frequently true, unless they are able to experience astrology as reality for them self. As with all energies, there are lessons in how to use it. One may go overboard in expression, turning the inner calmness into rigidity and inflexibility, the realism into materialism, or the reliability into overly seeking security. Nothing can be more stubborn or "bull-headed" than Taurus, but that attitude can be harmful in the long run, because one must change to grow and to keep life from getting in a rut. Wood buildings that can give and sway some survive earthquakes better than solid brick ones. Taurus: Picture an elephant, strong and enduring, yet with a trunk more sensitive then the human finger. - Walter From: Walter Pullen To: SOC Personal Growth Club Subject: Geminian Thought of the Day :-) Date: Thursday, February 02, 1995 9:49PM "We see things not as they are - but as we are." - Ken Keyes in "Handbook to Higher Consciousness" As separate individual bodies, we experience the world through our senses. We then process that input through our minds to come to a view of the state of things around us. But that's still just our viewpoint. The interesting thing is that there are other individuals out there like ourself with their own points of view. We can interact with others to come to get a better idea of the truth. This process of bouncing things off our environment, a insatiable curiosity to see and probe everything around us, is what in astrology is the characteristic called Gemini. Gemini knows that the more you know, the less you really know. That doesn't make exploring and learning any less fun though! Understand this energy, and know that reality is as you perceive it, and that one's perceptions are always biased. What better way to become aware of those biases than to compare them to other people's? Expressing the Gemini that's within us all, as symbolized by two people, twins, another person, means communicating. It means looking, perceiving, thinking, listening, and of course, talking. Gemini teaches that the world is constantly in flux, that people and opinions are always changing, and that change should be embraced. Especially with Gemini, this is a two edged sword, and this potential for growth can degenerate. Embracing change doesn't mean we should avoid all forms of discipline or commitment, as in "sure I'll marry you, until someone better comes along". One must learn in using the quick wit and fast mind that comes from this energy, to not dissipate the power into meaningless intellectual trivialities, insult, argument, or gossip. We shouldn't just talk or force our biases on others, but remember to receive input too, which is where the real evolution comes from. - Walter From: Walter Pullen To: SOC Personal Growth Club Subject: Cancerian Thought of the Day :-) Date: Friday, February 03, 1995 10:16PM "Ultimately, your greatest teacher is to live with an open heart." - Emmanuel Everyone can grow personally. It's actually not that hard when approached as an onward progressive goal like other material endeavors. But some parts of spiritual evolution aren't so straightforward or personal. Being able to care for and about another person, and being able to open up and feel, to express vulnerability, can be more difficult and terrifying than jumping out of airplanes. But the inner results of doing do positively can be just as rewarding! This process of emotional activity is summed up by the astrological characteristic called Cancer. The Cancer energy is naturally feeling, and incredibly sensitive. It's often too delicate to throw out in the ordinary world unprotected. One must learn how to keep the inner self safe and pure in a shell, while still interacting honestly with outer circumstance. One must be on guard however to not close up too much, and stop caring, stop growing, become too shy, too security anxious, or "crabby" towards people. With one learning the lessons of Cancer, life can often seem harsh and intrusive or depressing, in both internal and external aspects, but the goal is still to always sympathetically trust and love anyway. Anyone can help in superficial philosophical ways, but being able to roll up your sleeves and nurture and intwine yourself over the long haul is a much more involved action, one the Cancer energy can deal with, hence the mothering concept describes it well. Sure, the world could use more better people in it, but are you willing to go through pregnancy, diapers, schooling, and teen years to make it happen yourself, experiencing the physical demands and efforts while still caring, keeping the goal in mind, and not becoming hardened? Another lesson of Cancer is that loving isn't always easy. One must still have some assertion and avoid letting themself be walked on or manipulated by others. Sometimes letting someone suffer on their own is the most positive and compassionate thing you can do for them. - Walter From: Walter Pullen To: SOC Personal Growth Club Subject: Leonine Thought of the Day :-) Date: Wednesday, February 08, 1995 4:50PM "I don't take drugs: I am drugs." - Salvador Dali Ultimately, we are all one; we are immortal souls temporarily expressing a personality on dense planes of existence for the purpose of learning particular things for spiritual evolution. Right now however our consciousness is human. We can either wearily plod through our life and its lessons, hoping for a better existence afterward. Or we can embrace our separate selves the way they are now, and enthusiastically express our own individual uniqueness to the universe! This characteristic can be summed up by what in astrological terminology is called Leo. Positive expression of Leo is truly and fully here and now, experiencing the joy and magic life has to offer. And there is a lot of life with it comes to this energy, where one exploring Leo expression is just that: expressive! It's playful, dramatic, knows how to have fun, and has an abundance of that warm-heartedness to share with others. However, as with all signs dealing with an inner fire, one must know how to properly handle it lest they get burned or let the fire run amuck. The root challenge with Leo is that self-expression negatively turns into self-centeredness. Sharing your gifts with others shouldn't mean forcing them on other people, and expressing your individuality shouldn't mean trying to prove you're better than everyone else. Pure Leo energy is self-satisfied and doesn't care what others think of it. A pitfall comes where if one doesn't get the attention they want from positive means, they resort to getting it from less harmonious means. The childlike spirit of Leo then becomes childish. One exploring Leo needs to realize that self-love is an inner quality, where egotism is trying to prove you're worthwhile when you hate yourself. After that, this expression of personality turns out to be a really spiritual thing after all! - Walter From: Walter Pullen To: SOC Personal Growth Club Subject: Virgoan Thought of the Day :-) Date: Thursday, February 09, 1995 9:33PM "If you want to help others with their growth, work on your own. If you want to work on your own growth, help others with theirs." - Myself in an article on talk.religion.newage a few years back More than any other sign of the zodiac, Virgo is appropriate to be discussed in this group. Because in two words, Virgo is the sign of personal growth. Seeking and striving toward growth is what this characteristic describes. Not just any kind of progression, not just a little advancement here or there, but ultimate growth, a goal nothing short of purity and perfection. Combined with that abstract, lofty ideal, the other side of the coin when it comes to this energy is a strong practicality, an accurate and analyzing mind that can see itself as it really is, and what needs to be improved and corrected in order to make the goal. And finally to complete the picture, is added that this really isn't just about self growth, but growth in general, where a true embodiment of the Virgo thought-form seeks to help others, to feel useful to the world, to be of service, and has a sense of the often underestimated virtue of humility. If one considers all the signs of the zodiac as lessons to be learned and qualities to be developed and balanced in the human experience, then the one for Virgo is traditionally one of the last or hardest to mature. All three aspects of this sign must be strong in one expressing it, and as with almost all psychological characteristics, love of self and others is the best way to keep things positive. One's brutal assessment of themself may seem that they have many faults and are far short of being perfect. This can lead to worry or depression, where the honest mental powers great for dealing with the material world can be wasted in menial drudgery and busyness. Turn this on the outer world, and one can be overly critical of things around them, always complaining and correcting people for their own good. Or this potential for service becomes self-sacrifice and meeknees. Virgo can express as either an abuser or an abusee if it wants to. Other better symbols for Virgo are the horse (be it running free, helping man, or in the glue factory), the Unicorn, the Pegasus, and the Angel. - Walter From: Walter Pullen To: SOC Personal Growth Club Subject: Libran Thought of the Day :-) Date: Friday, February 10, 1995 3:42PM "The physical universe was created when Oneness became duality, and we can see this duality, this yin and yang, everywhere in the universe, in every atom, every action, and in every function of the human body. Yin and yang are manifest everywhere, except at the very center of being, the perfect point of balance, at that infinite moment where the future becomes the past." - Robert B. Tisserand Harmony. In one word that is what the Libran thought form seeks, expresses, and learns (often difficult) lessons about. Harmony means an inner calmness, even when outer life is full of chaos. It means striking a balance between various polarities, seeing the truth and validity in all sides, tolerating paradoxes. A graduate of Libra school would never be hasty to make good or bad judgments about someone or something, assuming they judge at all! They exude peace and can diplomatically resolve conflict with win-win results for both sides, where appropriate. In the process of developing a quality, life often gives us the opposite energy to test ourselves against. With Libra, this can mean having a life where achieving peace is not a minor challenge! Life can seem overly hectic, with endless demands and disruptions, where the goal of remembering to not get all upset and stressed out may seem far distant! Paradoxically, a lot of this comes from the desire for balance itself, to try and do both whenever it comes to making a decision. Intimate personal relationships have no equal when it comes to a place to evolve the concept of balancing personal needs and working together with others, hence the Libran energy is often associated with love. Love can be wonderful here, provided one doesn't compromise their core ideals or let themself be walked on, just to maintain a semblance of peace and prevent someone from showing dislike, a potential pitfall Libra needs to watch for. Libra school teachers have a few tips for one developing in this area: First, take that tolerance of opposites and reflect it to yourself - recognize that there is a balance between harmony and chaos itself, and they both have their place. Don't get upset about being upset, unless you feel like expressing upsetness! Remembering to assert yourself or just leaving a situation in conflict isn't an un-beautiful thing to do, even if it makes someone angry; after all there's a balance between strife and peace in life too. Realize that existence is full of limiting decisions that must be chosen one way or another, where not making a decision is a decision too. You can't still be single if you want to get married, and you can't marry person #1 if you want to be married to person #2. Stressing over that other choice you didn't make only adversely affects the nice things the one you did make is offering, and more importantly affects that ultimate goal of inner harmony. - Walter From: Walter Pullen To: SOC Personal Growth Club Subject: Scorpionic Thought of the Day :-) Date: Tuesday, February 14, 1995 12:03AM "I have no fantasies. I live them all." - topazzz on alt.sex.bondage Live with passion! Accept and be willing to express and not repress your feelings. Experience life in all its depth and intensity! That is what the zodiac sign of Scorpio is all about, and doing the above in a positive way is what one dealing with this energy does or seeks. Too often we're afraid to express our inner desires, frequently because society makes us think such passions are bad. And in one working through Scorpio, there certainly often are lots of deep impulses and emotions, simmering below the surface like a volcano that may erupt. These feelings aren't easily repressed, knocking from our subconscious daring us to act on them. Even if one does manage to push them from consciousness, they won't go away and will affect one's life in less harmonious ways, compulsive behaviors or anxieties, until they're accepted and dealt with. Even if one's feelings really are destructive they still need to be recognized and accepted, because only then can one understand where they're coming from and what needs to be expressed to transcend them. Maybe you're sexually attracted to members of your own gender. Maybe you want to have a sex change operation. Maybe you want to share with the world what the psychic voices in your head have been telling you. Maybe you want to express rage about your abusive childhood. None of these things are bad in themself, although they're often labeled as needing correction. One who's integrated the lessons of Scorpio will be able to embrace such parts of themself, and act on them in a way that doesn't harm others. Death is another example of something rarely faced squarely. True Scorpio is always aware that everyone dies, that death may come at any time, that when it does one will have to face the afterlife and any judgments, and that because of this one should live to the fullest with no regrets. Maybe you have a crush on someone, but are afraid of their reaction if you tell them. It's better to look back on life knowing that you had the courage to go through and maybe got rejected, than to have held it within the whole time and let the chance slip away. The intensity and feeling associated with Scorpio gives one insight into others and the human condition, in all its demonic and angelic potentials, but shouldn't be allowed to degenerate into suspicion or paranoia. Its power does often needs to be held within some and disciplined for organized expression, but shouldn't cause one to be overly secretive. The strong desires can negatively express as jealousy. The undercover agent, the psychopath, the energy healer, and the (good or evil) sorcerer are various representatives of Scorpio. Other symbols in a progression are the scorpion, the snake, the owl, the eagle, and the Phoenix, the last of which represents the mythical bird that flew into the Sun and regenerated from its own ashes! - Walter From: Walter Pullen To: SOC Personal Growth Club Subject: Sagittarian Thought of the Day :-) Date: Tuesday, February 14, 1995 4:10PM "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy." - Hamlet Happy St. Valentine's Day everyone! This is a wonderful holiday, based on Love itself and hence appropriate to spiritual groups like this one. Today you can see people in love walking around with dopey smiles all happy and looking at the world through rose colored glasses. Either that, or such people are of the zodiac sign Sagittarius in which case they're like this all the time! ;-) Sagittarius represents the seeker. It represents the finding out of new ideas and revelations, different from those you're familiar with. It means taking the various pieces of accumulated wisdom, and combining them into one coherent, meaningful whole, finding the ultimate purpose of everything! This energy exists within us all, just that some people are in the process of expressing or learning about Sagittarius more than others. With this characteristic comes a strong enthusiasm and cheerfulness, a romantic spirit, to accept and trust and believe on faith. Traditional astrology has three symbols for this sign: the Gypsy, the student, and the philosopher. These people represent the Sagittarian concept of new experiences, in physical, mental, and spiritual manners. Paradoxically, even though this energy concentrates on final, encompassing truths, its goal isn't really anything final but is rather the process and journey of continually growing, heading toward the horizon, and doing this in a positive way. There are lessons for one exploring this sign to learn like all others. For starters, the strong faithfulness and tendency to joyously jump into things should be tempered with at least a little discipline, and one should look before they leap, lest they do something they'll regret later. Sure falling in love is great, but at least wait a few months before going down the aisle, and don't forget proper precaution before those more intimate encounters! True Sagittarius is fully open minded, although the desire for meaning in its negative sense can make one incredibly close minded once they've found their cause. One should take caution that they don't become a religious fanatic or at least overly preachy when expressing this sign. - Walter From: Walter Pullen To: SOC Personal Growth Club Subject: Capricornic Thought of the Day :-) Date: Thursday, February 16, 1995 12:25AM "All rising to a great place is by a winding stair." - Bacon Being flexible and changeable is an important virtue. Less often acclaimed but just as necessary is the ability to commit to something or someone in a steady manner over a period of time. Consider finishing a house after spending months building it yourself, seeing your business become successful after a decade of hard work, or looking back on the times and growth in a relationship after being married for 30 years. These all give a long lasting sense of satisfaction and accomplishment that can't be obtained in any other way, and often can only fully be experienced in normal human life, as opposed to higher spiritual planes of less limitation. Capricorn is the name of the sign of the zodiac that describes this. Capricorn teaches discipline, planning, and the ability to evolve and make your dreams come true over the long haul. It teaches self-reliance, and the ability to take your inner intentions and express them in your life, without being strayed by other people's praise or criticism of you or your work, and how to keep control of and integrity in your projects without becoming slave to them. One who has mastered the lessons of this sign fully understands the reality of living physically, and knows how to make the most of it by assuming a public identity and destiny that's fully in tune with what represents their inner goals. The energy of this sign embraces solitude and isn't dependent or co-dependant on anybody else for its well being. One working with this should be aware that they don't become so coldly unemotional that they cut off all feeling and connection with others or themself, and potentially become lonely assuming they even allow themself to feel that. Capricorn has great power to build almost anything (picture the Terminator, unstoppable, continuing slowly onward inexorably toward its object, with setbacks only causing temporary delay) and as such it has responsibility to choose a right goal. A little negativity and disalignment from inner will, and one can potentially become unscrupulous, uncaringly cunning, very wealthy outwardly but still unsatisfied inside. Remember that the ultimate issue here isn't physical success, but being true to yourself in your outward activities. - Walter From: Walter Pullen To: SOC Personal Growth Club Subject: Aquarian Thought of the Day :-) Date: Friday, February 17, 1995 1:56AM "There is no religion higher than Truth." - Seal of the Theosophical Society One of my favorite "Far Side" cartoons shows something along the lines of a beach covered with hundreds of penguins, which all look the same and are indistinguishable from each other standing around like sheep. However, one penguin wearing funky shorts is jumping up and loudly singing "Oh I just gotta be me, I just gotta-a-a-a be me!" Can you guess which penguin has a good dose of a characteristic which is symbolized by the zodiac sign Aquarius? :) An electrifying breath of fresh air, Aquarius teaches one about personal freedom, how to be independent of the influences of people and society that are always trying to force us into their molds. With this comes an ability to see what ways in life are fixed and limiting, that many merely accept, and a desire to move outside of or change them. Hence one in the process of exploring the Aquarius energy has an inventive, questioning, spontaneous spirit. Picture a scientist, willing to go beyond established theory and share new revelations. They value and relish their own uniqueness, and aren't afraid to express their individuality. And freedom doesn't have to only be centered on yourself. Throw in some concern for other people, and especially with their insight into collective society, Aquarius positively expresses in a friendly, humanitarian way. A good Aquarian uses their freedom to move in a useful direction, and to align themself with a cause. One can become revolutionary and change the world for the better! Or at least think they're changing the world for the better! There are things to learn in expressing Aquarius like any other energy. Change doesn't mean militantly turning other people's worlds upside down, which just results in enmity and resistance. One exploring Aquarius can be very stubborn, and needs this to avoid being pushed around by collective instinct, but be sure to make stands that are worth something. Which is more important to fight for: to be able to play loud music in your office, or to prevent censorship in the entertainment industry? Rebellious teenagers have lots of Aquarius in them, but with this must come acceptance that freedom means responsibility. You have the freedom to eat all the junk food you want and paint your room black, provided you get your own job to pay for the food your parents don't want to buy, and get your own apartment for the walls they don't want to see. Finally remember that you still can be like other people in ways, provided you're doing it out of free choice rather than fear of not fitting in. There's no need to be so quirky, unpredictable and self-insisting that egotism, coldness and aloofness follow and people are driven away. The potentials for service come when one can be true to themself but still interact with others in a friendly manner. - Walter From: Walter Pullen To: SOC Personal Growth Club Subject: Piscean Thought of the Day :-) Date: Saturday, February 18, 1995 1:21AM "Watching quietly, listening softly Dance with life, and be." - Ariel Controna-Decene-Diversonac Pisces is the last of the twelve signs, and with it concludes our journey through the zodiac! All the signs represent learning about a certain characteristic and evolving in how to express its energy in a positive manner. Pisces is no exception, but it's goal is a little different, a little self-reflective. The goal isn't just to grow, but to become aware of who is growing and why and how. Don't just interact with the world, but watch your personality observe the world. Get in contact with your consciousness, and see how everything else is ultimately an illusion. Don't just do, but be! With the connection between Pisces and the ocean of life we're all a part of, one expressing it has an other-worldly aura about them. One is mystical and often intuitive or psychic. With this comes a strong fluidity and sensitivity and feeling, often a strong sense of compassion and empathy with others. One is imaginative, frequently expressing this through subjective art and other such avenues. Positively, a Piscean like person will be able to see the world and its evolutionary process from an external vantage, and be able to make the most of it. They will be extremely flowing and kind and loving, and won't be attached to transitory physical things. However consciousness is neither good nor bad, and can express in any way it wants. The Piscean student needs to avoid the standard Zen pitfall, that the illusory nature of the world gives one a license to do as they please even to the detriment of others. The real world does have its purpose, and understanding it doesn't mean disdaining it or being apathetic. The Piscean inner, meditative state is good to explore, but not to continually stay in as an escape from physical responsibility or problems. The Piscean sensitivity and compassion is also a nice thing, but one with it must still have enough assertion to avoid letting themself be taken advantage of. Once one has learned the harmonious and how to avoid the negative expressions, graduation from Pisces school follows and consciousness may then take its next step. - Walter